HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2994
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 11/07/01 - 0000Z (UTC) 11/08/01
Daily Status Report as of 312/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 9042 (An Archive To Detect The
Progenitors Of Massive, Core-Collapse Supernovae)
The WF/PC-2 was used to search for supernovae which have massive
star progenitors. The already extensive HST archive and high-resolution
ground-based images of galaxies within ~20 Mpc enables us to resolve and
quantify their individual bright stellar content. As massive, evolved
stars are the most luminous single objects in a galaxy, the progenitors of
core-collapse supernovae should be directly detectable on pre-explosion
images. One Type II progenitor has been observed this year, and the
investigators have proposed a short, companion WFPC2 proposal to confirm
this candidate and identify a second. The observations completed nominally.
1.2 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 9285 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS
Non-scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation III)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make low
galactic latitude, non-scripted parallel observations as part of a POMS
test proposal. The observations were completed as planned, and no
anomalies were reported.
1.3 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8901 (Dark Monitor-Part 1)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the darks. There was no anomalous activity.
1.4 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8936 (Cycle 10 Supplemental Darks
Pt1/3)
The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a dark calibration program that
obtains three dark frames every day to provide data for monitoring and
characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. The proposal completed with no
reported problems.
1.5 Completed STIS/CCD 9136 (T Tauri Star Coronagraphic Survey: A PMS
Protoplanetary Disk Census)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
pre-main sequence solar-mass stars, the T Tauri stars that Millimeter and
IR studies suggest at least 50 percent have circumstellar disks similar to
the disk from which our planetary system formed. High spatial resolution,
high dynamic range imaging of such systems will map the spatial
distribution of material around the star, constraining the disk sizes and
inclinations, and provide a first assessment of when structure in the disk,
such as cleared central zones and annuli, which has been linked to planet
formation, develops. All observations completed without incident.
1.6 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8940 (Cycle 10 Earth Flats)
The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor flatfield stability by obtaining
sequences of Earth streak flats to construct high quality flat fields for
the WF/PC-2 filter set. These flat fields will allow mapping of the OTA
illumination pattern and will be used in conjunction with previous internal
and external flats to generate new pipeline superflats. The proposal
completed without incident.
1.7 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 9244 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII
Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation)
The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a generic target version of the
Archival Pure Parallel program. The program will be used to take parallel
images of random areas of the sky, following the recommendations of the
Parallels Working Group. The observations completed with no anomalous
activity.
1.8 Completed STIS/CCD 8903 (Bias Monitor - Part 1)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the bias in the 1x1, 1x2, 2x1, and 2x2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1x1 at
gain = 4 to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot
columns. There were no problems.
1.9 Completed STIS/CCD 9066 (Closing in on the Hydrogen Reionization
Edge of the Universe)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used in parallel
constrain the Hydrogen reionization edge in emission that marks the
transition from a neutral to a fully ionized IGM at a predicted
redshifts. The proposal completed uneventfully.
1.10 Completed WF/PC-2 9142 (The Structure and Physics of Extragalactic
Jets)
The WF/PC-2 was used to perform an ongoing investigation into the
physics of jets. It is proposed to obtain polarimetry of the jets of 3C
264 and 3C 78. No problems were reported.
1.11 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8919 (MAMA Sensitivity and Focus
Monitor C10)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was
used to monitor the sensitivity of each MAMA grating mode to detect any
change due to contamination or other causes, and also to monitor the STIS
focus in a spectroscopic and an imaging mode. All observations were
successful.
1.12 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 9048 (Boron Constraints on Slow Mixing in
Low Mass Stars)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to
observe the atomic and nuclear characteristics of the light elements Li, Be
and B, that make their photospheric abundances ideal tracers of internal
physical processes in stars. Both Li and Be have been heavily utilized to
this end since their diminished abundances are a direct result of the
extent of internal slow mixing between surface and interior layers, as has
been shown with ground-based data. Boron provides a fresh and special
probe because it survives to greater depths inside stars than does Li or
Be, and can thus uniquely reveal the depth of mixing. It is proposed to
observe B in stars with very large depletions of Li and Be, i.e. stars
which have been the most seriously affected by mixing. No problems occurred.
1.13 Completed STIS/MA2 8920 (Cycle 10 MAMA Dark Measurements)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to perform
the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise, and is the primary
means of checking on health of the MAMA detectors systems through frequent
monitoring of the background count rate. The proposal completed with no
reported anomalous activity.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 8
Successful: 8
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 9
Successful: 9
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 20
Successful: 20
2.3 Operations Notes:
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
/CAW